CHAPTER III DISCOURSE OF CATALONIA FREEDOM A. Referendum Efforts The president of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont said the people had decided to secede from Spain and agreed to sign a declaration of independence, but the plan of secession was postponed for the possibility of opening a dialogue first with the central government. However, only 43% of the Catalan who are eligible to vote to turn out to vote, meaning that 90% in favor is coming from only half of the Catalan population. That makes the central government of Spain judges this referendum unilateral and void.17 The referendum was followed by around 43% of the total voters, and from that figure, more than 90% said they had supported Catalonia independence. Speculation that Puigdemont would unilaterally announce Catalunya independence had circulated before. Puigdemont has on several occasions stressed that it would declare Catalunya independence despite widespread opposition, both from within Spain and from several countries in Europe. Politicians in Spain urged Puigdemont and PM Rajoy to hold a dialogue to resolve the crisis. Both were also asked to maintain an atmosphere conducive so that mediation or dialogue could be held. Exclamations also came from the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, who specifically asked Puigdemont and Rajoy not to issue confrontational statements. Colau also asked Rajoy not to eliminate Catalonia autonomy and urged thousands of police to withdraw. 1. The main reason for Catalonia referendum: In the war, the Spanish succession led by King Philip IV was concluded with Valencia’s loss in 1707, Catalonia in 1714, and the final archipelago in 1715, before the present Spain was finally born. However, in Catalonia, there was a rebellion to separate from Spain. The peak was in 1938 when 17 https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2017/09/26/why-the- referendum-on-catalan-independence-is-illegal 25 Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco massacred 3,500 separatist militias in Catalonia. During Franco's leadership efforts to isolate Catalonia could be muffled. Catalonia was given broader individual autonomy. This further made separatist groups free to campaign for independence. The theory is defined by the Catalonia conflict resolution discussing another possible approach to realist view on international relations. It discusses the problem-solving approach to international conflicts specifically. The suggestion that political realism, that assumes that interstate violent conflicts is inevitable, brings threat and prevention approach to international relations. Yet, this approach was not sufficient as it could not assist the affirmative policy to avoid conflicts or promote stable peace. When group conflict extends to a country or tribe, the theory of government argues that the common danger of making citizens begin to have a strong sense of national identity or tribe, prefer a robust hierarchical political system, adopt discipline Punishment against its perverts, and expresses xenophobia and strict — religious and sexual morality.18 Regarding realists considering the things that will happen, the referendum will not happen because some things will lose the position of Spain in some aspects. ―One of the most important verdicts of the Constitutional Court is to declare that the remark to Catalonia as a country in the opening of the law has no legal validity, for Spain is the only country approved by the constitution. Other changes to the law affect the Catalan language’s status distinguished to Castilian Spanish and the system of tax distribution. The people of Catalan were becoming more provoked by the court’s decision, and more than a million residents demonstrated in Barcelona just a day after the court’s verdict. 18 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/catalan-crisis-why- does-catalonia-want-independence-do-people-really-support-it-spain-latest- a8025836.html 26 2. Political Parties formed by the power in Madrid are very unpopular in Catalonia which has more than 7 million populations. The Catalan people are staunch supporters of the far-right party, Union, Convergence (CiU), head of Catalonia, Artur Mas. Spain's democratization brought many changes to the region. Spain "began and folded the democracy that "modifies Madrid stability of power." The regional party is rebuilt and gains recognition in the recently defined AC, and the authority was gradually shifted from the central government to the AC through Ley Orgánica para la Armonización del Proceso Autonómico (LOAPA.) Because of Franco’s dictatorship, the people of Catalan’s language, culture, and politics were suppressed. The political in Catalonia was growing from normal into high tension. When it is coming in October, the Spanish region want s to reduce the effect of referendum movement with blocking regional parliament but nowadays it seems impossible to block any movement because not only give voice but they also give prove that Catalonia people do the vote and the result shows that most of them in favor with referendum.19 The leaders of European countries and other countries did not agree that Catalonia split and establish its own republic from Spain. They support the Spanish central government and approve Catalonia. This started a compilation of Catalonia people choosing to improve themselves or carry out separatist movements from Spain in a referendum on October 1 which was declared illegal by the Spanish. Political uncertainty is also tightly initiated by the international community, and specifically the European Union, because the potential of Catalan population will be the biggest challenge for the bloc's relations. And European Council President Donald Tusk said that the statement stated that Catalonia had not changed anything. And he does not want the European Union to consist of 95 states. 19 Guillermo, M. (.n.d). Instituciones del Derecho Civil Catalan Vigente, Vol.2 27 Germany, which is the strongest country in Europe, said it did not approve of the declaration of Catalonia's independence and fully supported the Spanish government. Likewise, the United States says that it supports Madrid to remain united and Catalonia is an integral part of Spain and America in supporting that the Spanish constitution remains united. The British Prime Minister's office said Britain would not accept the declaration of independence approved by the Catalan and Spain had the right to be approved of independence. Then other countries such as Belgium, France, Canada, Turkey said that together with other European countries they said they did not support Catalonia's independence because they did not find a declaration of independence that was legal and not in accordance with law and constitution in accordance with international law principles. In recognition of these countries it was clear that Catalonia had declared independence from Spain but there was no international recognition. The Spanish central government imposed direct leadership on Catalonia which is a semi-autonomous region. This Catalonia Declaration of Independence was a unilateral declaration called UDI (Unilateral Declaration of Independence). UDI compiled a new country that was established in an existing country, declared sovereignty and freedom without permission from the state or nation entity that it refused. 3. Economy Barcelona was the first city in Spain to industrialize, especially around cotton mills, from raw materials from America. This brought immigrant workers and developing populations, and in 1854 the city came out of the medieval wall. In the interior, industrial centers such as Terrassa and Sabadell developed and industries (industrial work houses) grew along rivers where factories were reinforced by water. Just as the wealth of the 14th century inspired the first prosperity in Catalonia, so the wealth of the industry inspired 28 Renaixença, the rise of Catalan culture. Renaixença produces new pride in Catalonia, and "Catalanism" is at the heart of the region that accelerates the pace towards autonomy, a move echoing in Galicia and the Basque Country. he Mancomunitat, a local council founded in 1914, appeared on the arrival of 923 dictator primo de ivera, Barcelona's military overnor. In 1931 Francescacià declared himself President of the Catalan Republic, which lasted three days. Three years later the Lluis Company was arrested and imprisoned for 30 years for trying to do the same. Catalonia contributes approximately 20% of Spain’s income and 21% of Spain’s tax earning. However, people in Catalan believe that they give Spain too much but results in poor infrastructure and living condition. This view usually grows after the European economic crisis in 2008-2010.20 The Catalonia region has long been the heart of the Spanish industry. Catalonia is one of contributing eighty point eight percent of Spain's GDP, and17.6 percent of Madrid. Separating will generate a product of US $ 314 billion, as calculated by OECD. This fact will make Catalonia become more productive than Hongkong and Portugal. As explained earlier, Catalunya felt excluded from the country for various reasons. Differences in history and language perpetuate of Catalonia from Spanish culture. Catalonia's economy has always been more developed and more successful than in other regions of Spain, including in Madrid. The first issue showed up in the 18th century when Catalonia became a diligent community and desired to implement industrial protectionism, economic policies popular to industries that did not adopt Spanish economic model, such as Spain as an entirety was not as advanced as Catalonia (this fact still applies today). The friction between Spain and Catalonia heated even more because of a financial crisis in 2008 and the old belief that Spanish state’s 20 https://www.efe.com/efe/english/business/spain-s-public-debt-in-2016- stood-at-1-18-trillion-98-percent-of-gdp/50000265-3182407 29 economic strategies endangered the stability, development and progress of Catalonia. This concept presently includes ―us against them‖ in economic terms – "we" account for most Spanish production and tax revenues, and "those" who unfairly transfer "our" taxes to other regions and who create policies for "we." 4.